Sunday, August 24, 2014

Sydney sketch club went to Tea Pot Show @ Inner City Clayworkers Gallery. *I belong to two sketch clubs : Urban Sketchers and Sydney Sketch Club. Wow, I got stunned by so many unique pots from whimsical art work to very elegant tea pots. Sure, tea lovers and ceramic collectors will steam up for these fabulous ceramics. All the photos are by courtesy of Organiser, Jennifer. Enjoy them all. This is the gallery. Really a pretty small shop. Our sketchers are at the entrance in the sketch. Gallery Host Irene welcomed us. Happy surprise was to find that Irene was also a Sydney Sketch Club member!

Oh, quirky and beautiful pots! We usually meet for 2.5 – 3 hours and then gather for a show’n’tell. I chose this humorous pot, a very sexy gentleman standing next to his wife (*a bit shame I ran out of time to sketch his wife). Very colourful, vivid and cheerful. Irene, Gallery Host said, "All this artist's work looks like her face!" and showed me the photos. Ohhhh! Interesting and yes, indeed, they all look like her.

Can you believe all these are pots? You can use them for tea!

A "practical use" is the only condition an artist must satisfy.

All pots are on sale.

The witchery of pots made us "Ohhh, ahhhh" or chuckle?!

All sketchers created interesting drawings.

We enjoyed sketching.

Group activities are very important for artists to make friends with others and for mutual help. The beauty of this club is "having lunch together." (*Come & go is all up to members. No obligation.) Regarding a social side, of course, chatting is fun and stress busting. Also, this is when we can discuss techniques and materials used – sketchbooks are often shared around. We'll get inspirations and tips. I should come to sketch more often.

We greatly appreciate the organiser Jennifer's hard work during the meeting. She takes lots of photos and later, will upload them at our club site. Furthermore, she encourages each attendance, negotiates event organisers and explores potential excursions. *I seriously believe we have to set a special thank-u day for Jennifer.

BTW, I've begun to loose up architecture like my figures! Fun, not pain. I played with colours. This time, I did not have time to think twice, just worked on a building and moved onto a pot in the gallery. Mmmm... "strict time limit" worked a positive way? Yey, Sadami, keep up! This sketch club's very interesting events visiting may cure my dislike-of-architecture.

Each member uses a very different watercolour kit. Interesting!

Friends, do ye know? We'll go to a theatre next week! "Sketching Theatre -- "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Try" (musical comedy).Can you believe this? FREE!! (yes that says free) Entertainment of superb quality by the final year students of the Australian Institute of Music Theatre Faculty. What a wonderful opportunity! Again, it is Jennifer who has picked up such a fantastic event. The play is a satire of big business. The story follows the rise of a protagonist who uses a handbook called "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" to climb the corporate ladder
from a lowly window washer to a high-powered executive.We'll sketch the stage, setting, etc and of course, all of us want to know the theme...!!! Hehehehe, if I can find "how to", I'll share it with you??! That's what we want to know!

Do you feel like joining us? Come and seethe meet up page here!Special thanks for Jennifer and Clayworkers Gallery.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

I'll take you to Archibald. The most famous portrait prize in Australia. I'd post sketches of a winner Fiona Lowry, "Penelope Seidler," and intertesting portraits, a winner Fiona Lowry, "Penelope Seidler," and intertesting portraits, Sophia Hewson, "Atrtist kissses subject (Missy Higgins!),"Anh Do, "Father." I've felt 2014 Archibald is different from other years. NSW Gallery staff said, "Yes, the committee has changed. Different judges." I see...

You can find

1) more small works in, (but no watercolour), 2) more "ordinary" models work in, not super-famous people. eg) artist's parents, a son, next door, butchery -- it has surprised me and encourages me! 3) some first try artists in.

In a technical aspect, the finalists show wonderful diversity. An individual approach is very unique that excites me so much.

Archibald winner Fiona Lowry's work shows the grace, dignity and beauty of old people.

Fiona was a Doug Moran winner in 2008 -- I remember her self-nude very well, a young lady! Fiona uses a very interesting approach, acrylics and air brush. I've immediately realised that the model's eyes were clearly drawn, the focal point of the painting. A rest of the work is softly blurred. Air brush works very well. A slight and delicate colour, thin raw sienna? is put around the model that contrasts to the background created in a very, very modest raw sienna plus patchy green? It comes out like a black and white from a distnce. Fiona's tender approach shows women's delicacy and the model displays an experienced career woman's dignity and elegance.

Sketching finalists' work gives me wonderful insights of technical and psychological aspects of creators. **Please pay attention to gallery visitors' height like a scale that tells how big work is.

NSW Art Gallery

Sketched it before opened. Cold, early in the morning!

Sophia Hewson, "Atrtist kissses subject(Missy Higgins, Australian singer song writer)," has got in. Viewers' reactions to this work are interesting. Men show very negative responses and women look neutral or swinging between acceptance or disapproval. In the sketch, I put both man and woman. Although each painting has a tag that is plain writing for "kids" to help understand work, this work does not have it.

Sophia Hewson, "Atrtist kissses subject," oil on board

Regarding an entry condition of "model's publicity," the staff emphasised, "It's "preferably," a public figure." I interpreted, "It gives artists room and flexibility. Any model is acceptable?" The staff affirmed my say. Then, the staff encourages me to put work. Thank you. For example, Anh Do, has created his father's portrait in strong strokes and vivid colours. Yet, his colour use is very sensitive that shows a well-organised "value." Anh Do is a multi talented person : a successful comedian, TV presenter, author and fine artist/portraitist. His refugee experience from Vietnam has become a children picture book, too. In our society, if a person keeps a positive attitude, I believe, always nice people support diadvantaged people and it opens doors. That's the beauty of human society.

Anh Do, "Father," Oil on Canvas

Our faces fascinate me most in drawing subjects.Eyes, eyebrows, mouth, ears etc, etc, "landscapes" in each face tell a story profound, precious and different. Yet, we have commonality and can mutually embrace. My mentor Ann James says, "Your positivity and watercolour and seeing and reflecting people so well is partly because you feel so much." Yes, I feel something that intrigues me to keep drawing people.

We celebrated my mentorAnn James and editor Helen Chamberlin's awards. A lovely author, Janeen Brian and Ann illustrated "I'm a Dirty Dinosaur," has become an honoured book for Early Childhood. (*I once illustrated Janeen's text.)

Shaun Tan's work, "Rules of Summer" won "Picture Book." Of course, that book was edited by a brilliant editor, Helen Chamberlin! Helen, you're great!

Friends, Happy Painting!!!

1.Archibald2014, Most Famous Portrait Prize in Australia 2.CBCA winners

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Hi, Friends, thank you so much for your warm cheers and donations! Wesley Mission, my clients and I are very happy. Let us hope this project will go on.Now, August is the book month in Australia. We celebrate a Book Week in the middle of August every year. The Children's Book Council of Australia honours and celebrates the work of Australian authors and
illustrators. Highlight is the announcement of the Book of the Year. Winners
will be announced at noon on Friday, August 15. Stay tuned CBCA facebook and CBCA twitter. Then, the celebrations begin!

This year's theme is "Connect to reading ~ Reading to connect."My favorite say certainly tells a book is the best companion for us, "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read," by Groucho Marx, hehehehehe!!! 2014's Children Book Week logo is designed by Ron Brooks, the illustrator who won 2013 Picture Book of the Year.How do you interpret the interesting theme above? Any interpretation could be possible about the theme. Time and society is changing dramatically and rapidly. Technology, in particular, digitisation and Internet are shaping concepts of books and forms of texts. We connect others through a variety of media. It impacts on communication styles and methods that alter human interactions. Nowadays, contemporary children play with digital media better than me, an old generation.

But I feel very the basic element in reading is communication between a reader and characters in books. It's like a play catch, I feel. What do you think, Friends? In books, we appreciate sharing time with characters and experience life together. We explore story and step into our inner world or we travel to other worlds, too. Even, we grow with favorite characters in our sweet memories --- in fact, personas have been created by an author/illustrator, triumphs of human creativity! Then, through reading books, socialisation happens among us. I sketched people reading books in train. A book opens our conversations. We share our emotions with others and exchange productive opinions in family, at school, in community, on net, at else where in society. We connect ourselves and others by reading books. I have been a book warm since childhood. As far as I know, famous authors and successful book illustrators are all very good book readers.Reading books is, for me, not passive, but very creative activities and communication methods with others and ourselves. Indeed, how we, picture book illustrators interpret texts is equal to reading texts for tens of millions times.Another big event is the announcement of Dromkeen Medal and Dromkeen Librarian’s Award winners. Who will be honoured?

In addition, Short List & Notables 2014 are below. All listed works are lovely! Wish them good luck and all the best! **My mentor Ann James's illustrated picture book, "I'm a dirty dinosaur," is in "Early Childhood Notables." Ann used "real" mud in the illustration!

Also, previous Book Week slogans and image creators are here.Special thanks for warm cheers. The hands' pains are being healed. Soon, I'll see the hand specialist.Friends, Happy Painting and Happy Reading!!

Book Week16-22 Aug, Stay Tuned Picture Book of the Year, Dromkeen Medal Winners

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Hi, Friends, today, Sunday 10 Augustis the last day of Wesley Building Dreams inclusive art exhibition. It's open in Wesley Mission foyer at 220 Pitt Street from 9 am to 5 pm. A hop, step, jump from Town Hall station. Come and see the exhibition for a strictly limited time!These photos are in the courtesy of Wesley media team.The Building Dreams exhibition displays both, our wonderful clients and school students, which illustrates community diversity and inclusion. Each school child's tag and statement is so touching and moving. Oh, please come and read them all. It's worth spending time. You'll find children's pure dreams and their inner worlds from innocent wishes to serious hopes for universal themes such as wellbeing, world peace and so on.

We know technically sophisticated works do not always reach at our hearts. Simple, yet, a strong and honest message comes into our hearts. The same is true of our job, children picture book illustration. These drawings are all precious master pieces in my eyes.

One client actually bought brushes on her own and started painting after my mentoring, even though none of my students has never touched watercolour paint ever before!!! What a wonderful reward for me! I celebrated it with my team leader. See this beautiful smiling! I'm sure this is, "THIS-ABILITY."

This week Wesley Mission CEO, Rev Dr Keith Garner attended the exhibition. He met Wesley Disability Services clients and me. I heartily appreciate this project offered by Wesley Mission and their great back up.

Also, ... I have to confess that tears were coming up in the eyes, when I saw my clients --- once, who had been extremely shy --- were full of confident and happily answering Rev Dr Keith Garner!!! Oh, what a reward for me! I, again, celebrated it with my team leader.

Lastly, I'd dedicate my favorite Emily Dickinson's poem for our humble clients. Without noticing, they have been giving us the meaning of life, certainly and surely.
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

I hope we can carry on this project as a respite for clients' carers who are already burnt out. Also, I hope to bring joy and assist clients to have self-esteem and creativity, while maximising their talents.

Friends, thank you very much for your wonderful support and warm cheers for this project. Your comments and emails have supported me at a tough time.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Hi, Friends, Wesley exhibition has started up well. Please pass on this post to others interested in donation. My four watercolour paintings are set for silent auction for fund raising : "Sydney University," "Children in a Tree," "Flowers," and "A mentree and Sadami." All works are original, signed by me and size A4 (Arches, 300gsm).

Yes, my sketch of our uni's clock tower! We often got together there. A stone building is lovely. A kind professor and linguist has invited me for tea. When I finish up this Wesley Building Dreams project, I'd like to tell her my wonderful experiences in this project.

These flowers, "Greviellea" are very common and native in Australia. Birds enjoy nectar. Can you feel an Australian breeze in this work?

This is my part of character design for picture book illustration.

I used to love a "picnic" in a tree like these kids.

This is my mentree and me.

Today, I met people at the exhibition : volunteers, visitors, and a school teacher for special education. Wonderful time we shared. The teacher shed tears with my say...(*...and me, too.) I perfectly understand how much she's struggled and kept silence because of confidentiality of info in education. Also, most volunteers are youngish ladies at uni. We chatted over "dreams"! Yey!! All of us have promised to get together again and to keep in touch! My social worker friends celebrate my contribution and encourage me so much!

... a bit embarrassing?! They all had watched a video on a wall and wanted to take photos being with me, saying, "I met her(=an artist)." I felt like running away!! (*Wesley Mission produced the record/image of this project that has my mentrees and me in it. Yes, ... I'm a bit shy.)

About Me

Award winning fine artist, enthusiastic children's picture book illustrator, portraitist and event/conference sketcher, Sydney based. Greatest strength: "Empathic portraits". Spontaneous and beautiful. Outstanding speed and accuracy. In only a few minutes, my quick portraits capture models in any posture with any facial expression on spot. Figures appear lively and emotionally. My linguistic training enables me to analyse the text in detail and organise appropriate story boards for the target audience. Sociological methods and research skills are used to capture insights from a text. The work bridges between a text, reality and imagination. Style is broad from whimsical cartoons to fine art for multifarious subjects. Japanese naitve speaker. Enjoy my works in StyleFile